Airtable for project management combines database structure with flexible views. Instead of forcing your workflow into a rigid tool, Airtable lets you define how projects, tasks, and team members connect.
With linked tables, views like Kanban and Timeline, roll-ups, and automations, you can build a system that fits your process. You can even sync work from external tools like Asana, Toggl Track, or Google Sheets, so everything lives in one place.
This guide shows how to structure Airtable for project management and turn it into a practical, team-friendly system.
Can You Use Airtable for Project Management?
Yes. While Airtable isn’t a dedicated PM tool like Asana or Jira, its relational structure makes it well suited to custom workflows.
You can link projects, tasks, team members, and deadlines in one connected system. When a task is updated, that change is reflected everywhere it appears — so nothing gets out of sync.
Unlike rigid PM tools, Airtable isn’t opinionated. You define your stages, fields, and metrics, then use views like Kanban, Timeline, and Calendar to visualize the work.
If you want a flexible system that adapts to your process, Airtable works well for project management.
How to Use Airtable for Project Management
Start by defining a simple relational structure with linked tables.
Core tables
Projects
Each record represents a project. Typical fields include:
Project Name (primary field)
Client
Start Date
End Date
Status
Project Owner
Tasks
Each record represents a task or deliverable. Typical fields include:
Task Name
Project (linked to Projects)
Assignee (linked to a People table)
Due Date
Status (To Do, In Progress, Done)
Priority
People (Team)
Each record represents a team member. Typical fields include:
Name
Role
Email
Tasks link to this table through the Assignee field, allowing you to store additional details about each team member and report on workload across projects.
If you don’t need that level of detail and everyone is an Airtable user, you can simplify by using Airtable’s built-in User field type instead of a separate People table.
Linking projects and tasks
Each task links to a single project. In the Projects table, you can add:
A roll-up to count total tasks
A roll-up to count completed tasks
A formula to calculate progress (e.g., completed vs total)
Because the data is linked, progress updates automatically as task statuses change.
Using Airtable views
Once your structure is in place, views make the system practical:
Kanban view of Tasks grouped by Status for board-style tracking
Timeline view to visualize project schedules
Calendar view for upcoming deadlines
Filtered views like “My Tasks” for individual contributors
For example, if you create a project called “Website Redesign” and link two tasks — “Design mockups” and “Front-end development” — those tasks will appear automatically in Kanban and Timeline views under that project.
Start simple: create Projects and Tasks, link them, and experiment with a Kanban view. From there, you can add roll-ups, dashboards, and automations to match your team’s workflow.
Airtable Project Management Template
If you want to get started quickly, Airtable’s Project management template provides a ready-made structure.
To use it:
Open Airtable and select Start with templates.
Click Explore more templates.
- Search for “project.”
- Select Project management template and create a new base in your workspace.
The template includes a Projects table, a Tasks table, and a People table, along with pre-built views like Kanban, Timeline, and dashboard-style Interfaces. It’s designed to standardise how teams record and track work.
Once you’ve created the base, customise it to match your workflow. You can:
Add or remove fields
Change field types (e.g., single select, formula, roll-up)
Add a Priority field to Tasks
Link attachments like design mockups
Remove columns you don’t use
If your process is unique — for example, managing software sprints versus event planning — you might prefer to start with a blank base and borrow ideas from multiple templates.
Either way, the Airtable project management template gives you a structured starting point, and every field and view can be adjusted to fit how your team actually works.
Task Tracking and Workflow Automation
Once your tables are set up, refine how tasks move through your workflow.
Use a Status single-select field (To Do, In Progress, Blocked, Done) and a Kanban view to move tasks between stages. Add simple formula fields to flag issues — for example, highlighting tasks that are overdue.
If tasks depend on each other, add a Depends On linked field to other tasks. While Airtable doesn’t automatically enforce dependencies, filtered views and automations can help surface blockers.
For recurring work, use record templates in the Tasks table to standardise repeatable task structures. You can also combine record templates with automations to create new tasks on a schedule (e.g., weekly reports or monthly reviews).
In the Projects table, use roll-ups to count completed tasks or sum estimated effort for live progress tracking. Automations can send reminders, notify stakeholders when tasks are marked Done, or update related records automatically.
With these features in place, Airtable becomes an active workflow system — not just a task list.
Airtable Project Management Integrations
Airtable becomes more powerful when connected to the other tools your team already uses, eliminating manual copy and paste.
Using Data Fetcher, you can pull tasks, time entries, and project data into Airtable without code.
Common integrations
Import projects and tasks from Asana into Airtable. Map fields like assignee, due date, and status to your Tasks table, and schedule regular updates, so changes stay in sync.
Pull time entries from Toggl Track
Import time logs into Airtable to compare estimated vs. actual effort alongside task progress.
If your task lists or plans live in spreadsheets, sync them directly into Airtable using a Google Sheets connection.
Import data from tools that export CSV, JSON, or provide an API. This works for systems like Jira, GitHub, or other project platforms.
By connecting Airtable to your other project tools, you create a single source of truth for projects, tasks, and time tracking.
Project Dashboards and Reporting in Airtable
Once your projects and tasks are linked, use views and Interfaces to surface key metrics.
Create filtered views like “Overdue Tasks” or “Due This Week,” and group Tasks by Project or Assignee to see workload. A Timeline view gives you a Gantt-style schedule, while Kanban boards work well for team check-ins.
In the Projects table, use roll-ups to count total tasks and completed tasks, then add a formula field to calculate completion percentage. These fields can power charts and KPI cards in an Airtable Interface.
With Airtable Interfaces, you can build a simple dashboard showing metrics like Total Projects, Overdue Tasks, and Total Hours Logged, along with charts or boards for task progress.
